Saved In This City

Chapter 1

Queen's POV

"What are you doing?! I just told you to head up to the front. More people need you up there." My boss yelled, as I tried to finish stitching up a man's cut.

I worked at a homeless shelter. One of the best in Atlanta actually. We offer medical treatments, food and beds.

Sometimes I have to remind myself why I'm really working here cause some times Mr.Evans really makes me want to quit.

"Ok sir there you go." I gave the homeless man a heart warming smile as he hopped down from the cushioned table. He slowly scooted out of the room, happy that his arm was in much better condition.

I made my way to the front, getting stares from homeless men and some women. I grabbed a first aid kit from off of the front desk and made my way to some of the people sitting outside waiting for permission to go inside the shelter.

"Baby! Baby!" An old woman yelled, but not just any old woman. It was Miss Jackson. She was the sweetest homeless woman I ever met. I turned around to her and saw her sitting on the ground against the concrete wall of the building.

I laughed at her urgency. "Hey Miss Jackson. What going on?" I sat down next to her.

"Baby you are a work of God. You are so blessed." She grabbed my arm and stared into my eyes.

"Thank you Miss Jackson."

"You have many blessing coming your way. Keep those eyes opened!" She shook me slightly.

"Okay, thank you Miss Jackson." I stood up and continued on my way down the street to my car which was parked by the curb.

As I reached down to open my door, I heard yelling behind me. I turned around to see a light skin homeless  man with a beard fighting with an old white man. They were tugging at a grocery cart.

"Aye bro get yo hands off my shit." The light skin man yelled. He was fair looking, for a homeless man at least.

As a nurse at the homeless shelter, we are not allowed to interfere with homeless peoples brawls. If we get hurt there would be no one to help them.

I got into my car and called Gerald, the security guard at the shelter, to let him know that there was an altercation.

"Alright I'm on it. Thanks Queen." He said on the phone before he hung up. It was three o'clock in the afternoon and I was ready to go home.

When I pulled up I saw my neighbor outside planting new flowers in her yard. I gave her a wave and she waved back.

Walking into the house I smelt straight weed. I saw Jerome, my boyfriend, sitting on the couch smoking while watching Power.

"Hey baby." I said as I walked in. He looked over and looked at me.

"Where the fuck you been?" I looked at him like he was crazy.

"Work. I have a job." He stood up right when I said that and walked over to me. "What the fuck you trying to say Queen?" He was breathing hard in my face. I turned my head away and looked at the ground beside me.

"N-nothing." I mumbled. He gets mad every time I bring up the fact that he doesn't have a job. He pushed me back.

"That's what the fuck I thought." He went back over to the couch to sit down.  He wasn't always like this.

The first time he hit me was when his mom died. He was a mess, and I forgave him every time he touched me in that way.  Eventually, I was forgiving him everyday. We used to have so much love in our relationship.

"W-what you want for dinner baby?" I stuttered. He shrugged his shoulders. "Don't matter, make what you want." Since I was tired I picked up the house phone and called to order a pizza.

"Yes can I have a large pepperoni pizza with 2 orders of buffalo wings. One boneless,one with bone. This will be pick up." I said into the phone, looking at the Pizza Hut menu on my phone.

"Okay thank you." I told her after she told me when it would be ready and the price. I headed up stairs to change out of my scrubs. I put on a tank top and basketball shorts with some flurry slides.

I looked in the mirror that stood in our bedroom. I looked lazy and bummy. I grabbed my purse off of the kitchen counter.

"Just go to the pizza place and bring yo add straight back!" He yelled, flicking through channels. I look back at him and gave him a quick eye roll before I walked out the front door.

As I drove to PizzaHut, I couldn't help but shake my head at the poverty that was spread across the city. Many people only saw the bright lights and fancy glass buildings as they looked at downtown Atlanta, but if you look closer. Just a little closer, you'd see the horrible environment people were living in between those big glass buildings.

"Pick Up for Queen." I stated, sliding the money on the counter.

"Please sir, this is all I got." I heard beside me. On the other side of the counter, there was a homeless man with a few dollars in his hand. The man he was talking to shooed him off.

One of the employees handed me my food and I rushed behind the man, trying to catch him before he got to far.

"HEY!" I yelled. He looked over his shoulder and looked at me. I think this is the same man who I saw fighting earlier as I left from work.

"H-here. I handed him a box of wings and he gave me a head nod. "A thank you would be greatly appreciated." I said with a bit of sass.

"Thank you." He murmured, then he started going in on the wings. I started heading to my car, turning my attention away from him.

As I walked into the house I felt a sense of fear and annoyance wave over me. I started sitting the good down on the kitchen counter. "Damn took yo ass long enough." He said as he walked into the kitchen.

I rolled my eyes and went upstairs to our bedroom exhausted. I took a shower then laid down in the bed.